- This event has passed.
Gravely Experience Student Luncheon
February 25 @ 11:30 am - 1:30 pm
Event Navigation
GRAVELY CELEBRATION EXPERIENCE
AN EXPERIENCE TO REMEMBER
In 1962 Vice Admiral Samuel L. Gravely, Jr. became the first African American to take command of a U.S. Navy combatant ship. He continued to break barriers throughout his career, becoming the first African American commander, captain, rear admiral, and then vice admiral of the Navy before he retired.
Each year, the vice admiral’s contributions are celebrated with a themed event honoring the trailblazers of today who exemplify Gravely’s motto:
Education, Motivation, and Perseverance
ABOUT THE EVENT
Who’s Invited: 11th grade high school students (200 seats available)
Cost: Free! – Educators must RSVP for their 11th grade students. (Click RSVP button below.)
Date: THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2025
Time: 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM
Location: Battleship IOWA | 250 S. Harbor Blvd. | Los Angeles, CA 90731
Program: Participating students will receive a free box lunch and beverage they can enjoy while listening to a panel of diverse individuals discuss their inspirations and motivations to break through societal barriers and find success.
The panel will be moderated by Tanya Acker, co-host of CBS’ Hot Bench and host of The Tanya Acker Show podcast, and will include a Q&A session during which students may engage directly with the panel speakers.
Click the button below to register or contact Director of Public Programming Tiffany Ellerbeck via email or at 877-446-9261 x749.
FEATURED SPEAKERS
Panelists
COMMANDER WARREN WRIGHT, USCG (Ret.) | Associate, Booz Allen Hamilton
Warren is a native of Bronx, NY. He is a 2002 graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Logistics & Intermodal Transportation. While at the Academy, he served as Class President and lettered in Football, Basketball and Lacrosse.
Accepting a Coast Guard Commission at graduation, Warren’s first assignment was to commission the Maritime Safety & Security Team 91103 in Long Beach, CA where he conducted Port Security missions, in advance of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Warren was selected for Naval Flight Training and transferred to NAS Pensacola in 2004.
He received his “wings of gold” in 2005 and reported to CG Sector Corpus Christi where he qualified in the HH-65B. Warren had follow-on aviation assignments at CG Air Station Kodiak, and CG Air Station Barbers Point. He is an Alaska-qualified Aircraft Commander in the MH-65D with over 1800 flight hours. His staff assignments included the Office of Congressional Affairs in Washington, DC, where he served as a Military Fellow assigned to the office of Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK); CG District Fourteen, where he served as the Chief of External Affairs and the principal liaison for Indo-PACOM Theater Security Cooperation; and District Eleven where he served as the Deputy Chief of Incident Management and the Aviation Program Manager for most of the West Coast.
In September 2023, Warren retired from his last operational assignment as the Logistics Department Head and Commanding Officer of Military Personnel, at Sector Los Angeles – Long Beach. He is now an Associate at Booz Allen Hamilton, in the Global Defense Services division.
Warren also serves as the Head Lacrosse Coach at Wilson High School, in Long Beach, CA. He has a Juris Doctor from the University of Hawaii, Richardson School of Law, a Command and Staff Diploma from the Naval War College and is a DHS Certified Acquisitions Program Manager.
His personal recognitions include the Meritorious Service Medal, Coast Guard Commendation Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal and various service and community awards.
Warren has four children, Nicholas, Kaden, Amirah, and Callen.
More speaker information coming soon.
Event Host
TANYA ACKER – Attorney, Author, Podcast Host
TANYA M. ACKER is a co-host of Tribunal Justice on Amazon Freevee as well as host of The Tanya Acker Show podcast. She is also the author of Make Your Case – Finding Your Win in Civil Court (Diversion Books 2020).
Tanya is an experienced civil litigator who has represented a wide array of clients, from major automobile manufacturers in high stakes product liability litigation to media companies in hotly contested trade secret disputes.
In addition to serving as a Trustee of the Pacific Battleship Center, which operates the Battleship USS IOWA Museum, Tanya maintains an active involvement in various other philanthropic, civic and business organizations. A volunteer with Love Takes Root, she has traveled to Haiti to work in a clinic and orphanage founded by that organization. She is a member of the Beverly Hills West (CA) chapter of The Links, Incorporated and additionally serves on the boards of Public Counsel; the Western Justice Center; the Boy Scouts of America; and PacWest Bancorp. She is also a member of the Pacific Council on International Policy.
2024 SPONSORS
Gravely Student Luncheon Sponsors
Gravely Scholarship Sponsors
Ambassador Robert C. O’Brien
CA State Treasurer Fiona Ma
Admiral Michelle Howard, USN (Ret.)
The Honorable Eric Garcetti
Argyros Family Foundation
Stephanie C. Hill
Bruce DD MacRae
Marathon Petroleum
Collier Walsh Nakazawa, LLP
Surface Navy Association
UPS